I surveyed White Hart Lane. My seat was in the second row from the back in
the South Stand lower tier. Next to me on one side sat an old, haggard looking
Evertonian (but then don't we all look old and haggard after this season).
On the other side, mystifyingly, were two empty seats. I pondered how
the seats could be empty, spares had been going for £60 outside Seven
Sisters tube station. Here, next to me was £120 of waste.

Spurs fans seemed in no rush to get to the game either. Whilst the visiting
supporters were in good voice early on, you could still see huge areas of
empty seating in the home stands. Only after 10 minutes did I believe the
hype that this game was actually a sell-out. Maybe Spurs fans  even
more so than us  need 'just another quick one' before they leave the
pub for the ground.

Directly opposite us was the Jumbotron screen. It's much like the big screen
at Arsenal except this one isn't hidden in the corner but is bolted dead
center to the roof of the newly finished North Stand. The whole match is
screened live on it which makes it an enormous temptation to look up and
get a better view when play is at the other end (though the sudden change
of angle doesn't half give you a headache). The instant replays though can
be a godsend.

The big team news as far as Evertonians were concerned was the return of
Ferguson. For Kendall though it wasn't just the reintroduction of the big
man that mattered, it was the reintroduction of a tried and tested system.
Everton reverted to three center-backs with two wing-backs  the line-up
we've become quite familiar with. Farrelly, Oster and Spencer were left out
of the starting line-up (Oster not even on the bench); McCann and Dunne were
the two who joined Duncan in it.

First Half

Our support started in great voice. "Grand old team to play for" and "Royal
Blue Jersey" both got rousing renditions. The home fans let their nerves
get the better of them and hardly mustered a whisper. With the stakes high
the game started off frantically. The referee wasted little time in waving
about his yellow card, something he did with great frequency. The pattern
of the game eventually settled down. For both teams, the forwards looked
much more competent than the backs. You felt there were goals to come in
this game.

With the gods on our side, it was us who broke the deadlock. Madar had just
become the latest in a line of players to pick up a yellow card for a nothing
offense. His crime was apparently kicking the ball away after the whistle
had gone, though it looked to me like he had deliberately kicked the ball
hard knowing it would bounce back the right way off the advertising hoarding.
The ref didn't have such a grasp of angles. The angry Madar responded positively
within a minute. Barmby thread the ball through to him, he broke the offside
trap, and neatly released the ball over Walker before he could narrow the
angle.

By god we enjoyed the moment! Total celebration. When the delirium died down
enough a new chant was started "Oh Madar-in, oh Madar-in, oh Madar-in Mick
Madar" to the tune of Oh my darlin' Clementine. We sang the team safely
through to half-time though not without a last minute scare as Ginola flashed
one just wide.

I was ready for my half-time break but no sooner had the players left the
pitch than they put the Grand National up live on the big screen. The timing
was so perfect that it was almost as if Aintree had been waiting for just
for us. So instead of a much needed rest. I spent the next 10 minutes going
equally nuts cheering home Earth Summit which I'd spontaneously stuck a fiver
on when I passed a bookies during the walk to the ground from the tube. This
was turning into a seriously good afternoon, though I think by this point
my voice was spent.

Second Half

Everton made no changes during the break and we started off with confidence.
The move of the game came when Ferguson received a long ball and then played
a breath-taking one-two with Madar. The magic was in Madar's touch, a controlled
back-heel into Ferguson's path which put him clear through on goal.

Now we all know that, for all his positive attributes, you would never back
Duncan heavily in a 'clear through on goal' situation. He is just not the
type of player who can cope with the luxury of time to think about his shot.
However, this effort was by far the most woeful he's mustered. I cannot describe
what he did. It honestly has to be seen to be believed.

After this point, you just began to sense that Everton were beginning to
tire. Sure enough, it now became apparent that we were planning on sitting
on the lead. Everton haven't the talent to sit on a lead, every time we try
it we get punished and this was no exception.

Spurs found a string of attacks. Armstrong, Klinsmann and Ginola all looked
sharp. Finally we succumbed to the barrage. Armstrong snuck a header at the
back post, the Spurs fans suddenly woke up, and two points had slipped from
our grasp.

Thankfully, we were able to hold on to the one point. Before the game started
I guess we would all have settled for that. It was just disappointing that,
having taken the game to them, we let the passion and commitment drop for
the last quarter of an hour or so. On the positive side, this performance
was a vast improvement over last week's debacle, the system suited us a lot
better.

Ball, Short and Barmby should all take credit with solid performances. It's
usually a case of Ferguson coming into his own in the presence of Madar but
this time I felt it was more the other way round. The Frenchman for all his
apparent disinterest and gallic whinging was crucial to the result. This
is a forward partnership that works.

So neither team took the opportunity to pull away from the pack. More finger-nail
chewing for both teams ahead. I wish I won forty quid at half-time of every
game I went to!

Individual Performances

Myhre 7 - Fine. Handled most high balls well, did the business in
other areas. One great moment of long distribution when he threw to Barmby
to launch an attack. More please, Tommy.

Ball 8 - Fantastic. Always a cool head. Much better suited as a wing-back
rather than the orthodox left-back he was stuck as last week.

Watson 7 - Still defying his years.

Short 8 - Whenever spurs did look to have breached the defense Craig
somehow managed to come from apparently nowhere and squeeze himself goal-side
to block it. Another good game.

Dunne 7 - Fine. Had a lot to deal with in Armstrong but looks to have
regained his confidence. One to watch out for.

O'Kane 7 - By far his best game for us yet, though he's clearly only
a squad player. We can definitely do better.

McCann 7 - Did his job. Didn't impose himself on the game in the way
I would have liked, but all his involvement was competent. His steel in this
situation is more valuable than Oster's flair. Good choice by Kendall.

Hutchinson 7 - On reflection, Is Kendall's buying policy really that
bad? Don along with Tiler, Myhre and Madar have all proved valuable acquisitions.

Barmby 7 - (just short of an 8) Thoroughly enjoyed his return to White
Hart Lane. Busy right from kick-off.

Madar 8 - Looks SO Lazy when he's playing! Nevertheless,
I'm sure he'd claim he conserves his energy for when he can make a meaningful
contribution and, on this showing, I'd have to say fair play to him. Good
goal, numerous good touches, stupid haircut.

Ferguson 7 - Miss of the year. That aside, lots of running, lots of
heart and most importantly his very presence seemed to lift us.

Everton's fighting spirit, so conspicuous by its absence last weekend against
Aston Villa, returned in abundance as Howard Kendall's men came within 16
minutes of stealing the show at White Hart Lane. Bolstered by the determination
of Duncan Ferguson, who admirably played the full 90 minutes, the Blues more
than matched Spurs' sprinkling of flair and both manager and supporters alike
can have no complaints about the attitude of the team in an absolutely vital
relegation match-up.

The sight of Ferguson sporting the captain's armband at kick off instilled
hope in the vast Blue army that dominated the South Stand and prompted chants
of "Duncan, Duncan Ferguson" as the game got underway. Everton lined up with
Myhre in goal behind a back five of O'Kane, Watson, Dunne, Short  somewhat
surprisingly given that he was rumoured to have suffered a long-term injury
last weekend  and Ball. Gavin McCann partnered Barmby and Hutchison
in midfield with Ferguson and Madar leading the line up front.

First Half

Tottenham were playing on the back of a 3-0 win at Crystal Palace the week
before but it was Everton who looked the more confident outfit throughout
the first half. Tough tackling by Hutchison and McCann in midfield and a
steely determination in defence provided a firm foundation for a pleasing
first 45 minutes.

Madar had the first real opportunity of the match but it was wasted as he
chose to crouch and nod the ball on for Ferguson when he time to control
and shoot instead. Dave Watson then sliced a golden opportunity just 8 yards
out after a Barmby corner. Barmby himself was denied by Campbell after Madar
had looped a header dangerously across goal; the Spurs defender blocking
Barmby's shot.

In the 24th minute, though, the deadlock was broken. Tottenham lost the ball
in midfield and Barmby immediately sent a deft through-ball for Madar who
sprinted clear and smashed the ball past Walker. Cue pure, unbridled celebration
at the other end where shocked Evertonians could not control their elation.
It was ample reward for an impressive spell from the Blues and the silence
from the rest of Tottenham's impressively refurbished stadium was all the
more amusing.

The goal did prompt Spurs to step up their endeavours. Campbell headed a
yard wide from a corner and Ginola, who saw plenty of the ball throughout
 and who was booked for diving at one point  lashed a 20 yard
shot inches wide of Myhre's left hand post. Despite Spurs' increased tempo,
the score was 1-0 to Everton at half-time.

Second Half

The beginning of the second half saw no changes in personnel on either side,
despite the fatigue shown by Ferguson towards the end of the first period.
Evidence that the big man was not completely on top of his game, though,
came three minutes into the half when he sprinted down the left before chipping
a neat ball to Madar before slicing a woeful right-footed shot from the
Frenchman's lay off well wide of the goal. It could, and perhaps should,
have been 2-0.

Tottenham, meanwhile, resumed their attacking efforts and Klinsmann had their
first chance of the half when he headed a yard over from Carr's inswinging
cross. The German then had half the ground in rapture when he crashed a header
within a hair-s breadth of the post, the ball ricocheting off the advertising
hoarding into the rear side of the net which fooled 15,000 Spurs fans into
thinking they had equalised.

Everton kept causing problems, though. Myhre's quick thinking and 50-yard
over-arm throw released Barmby who raced clear but was foiled as he tried
to cut across the Spurs defence and the chance was lost. Clive Wilson fell
awkwardly during the move and was replaced by Colin Calderwood for the home
side. Ferguson was then sent clear by a superb ball from the dynamic Hutchison
but was forced wide by the defence and his thumping left footer had lost
too much pace by the time it had reached the feet of Walker.

Tottenham's pressure eventually told, though, in the 74th minute. Moussa
Saib, who had come on for Carr just a few minutes previously, clipped a
delightful ball into the heart of the Blues' defence which Ramon Vega flicked
on towards the advancing Armstrong who buried the header past Myhre from
3 yards. There was more than a hint of off-side, as Match of the Day cameras
proved later that night, but Everton had paid for defending their slender
lead so frustratingly deep.

Both sides pressed for victory. Spencer came on for Madar who looked disappointed
at being substituted but the last significant chance of the match fell to
Michael Ball who displayed wonderful skill on the edge of the Spurs area
before jinking left and cutting an awkward shot across Walker's goal which
the Tottenham keeper saved. The full-time whistle blew and both sides had
to be content with a point. Results from elsewhere improved the mood of optimism
as Barnsley lost at Leeds (and had another man sent off which will translate
into yet more suspensions), and Wimbledon and Bolton fought out a goalless
draw at Selhurst Park.

If Everton show this much spirit and enterprise in their remaining six matches,
they should be able to pull well clear of relegation danger. Today proved
that there is no need for the type of capitulation witnessed at Goodison
last weekend against Villa. There is more than enough talent and ability
in the players we have and we have an excellent youth system to thank for
the likes of Ball, Dunne and McCann, without whom today might have yielded
a different story. It also proved, though, just how vital Duncan Ferguson
is to the side. If he has sustained long-term damage to his knee, then Everton
have got to start learning how to survive without him.

Individual Performances

Myhre 7 Can't be blamed for the goal. He wasn't really called
upon to make any spectacular saves; he was solid and reliable. His excellent
throw to release Barmby early in the 2nd half was easily his most memorable
contribution to the game.

O'Kane 6 Growing in confidence all the time but offensively
he still lacks that extra something to make him a successful wingback. That
might come but he is looking like a highly competent right back in terms
of his defensive abilities.

Watson 7 In the right place at the right time on many occasions
forming a solid back line with Short and Dunne that was breached just once
by a moment of inspiration from Saib.

Short 8 Still looking like a prime candidate for player of the
season. Solid and industrious, he made some great tackles and was on hand
to deal with the threat posed by Klinsmann and Armstrong in the air.

Dunne 8 Was called upon in similar circumstances for the Tottenham
game at Goodison a year ago and he was superb again today.

Ball 7 Another good game, both defensively and offensively.
Still showing maturity far beyond his years.

Hutchison 7 Played the role of "dog of war" and midfield playmaker
in equal measure. With every game, he is proving wrong those who decried
his arrival from 1st Division Sheffield United.

McCann 7 A very solid game from another Everton youngster with
a very bright future. On this evidence he could force both Farrelly and
Williamson out of the reckoning in the near future.

Barmby 8 A live-wire as usual. Great through-ball for Mick's
goal and unlucky not score himself on a couple of occasions. Perhaps the
enormity of the occasion distracted the Spurs fans from booing him too much.

Madar 7 Three goals in three games which you can't really argue
with and he again played well alongside Duncan.

Ferguson 8 He looked short on match fitness but hardly looked
like a player whose season is about to be ended by injury. Dunc was a tower
of strength today and I think we can forgive him for that awful miss due
to his efforts in defence and attack.

Spencer 6 Wasn't really on long enough to do anything substantial.

Team 8 A determined and courageous performance. Although the
Spurs camp say they deserved to win, Everton will feel more aggrieved at
the result because we could have won this game. We have a tendency to sit
too deep when we're defending slender leads and we paid for it again today.
Still, there's ample evidence that we have the ability to again survive
relegation.

After successfully resisting the temptation to bash my head against a brick
wall, having seen the Spurs squad for the match, I was a little less than
optimistic. Even though Duncan was back, he had not played since the Derby
in February. Kendall had assured us that the players "would be lifted", and
lifted they certainly were. Putting pessimistic Evertonians such as myself
to shame, the Blues started explosively. Madar looked dangerous each time
he got the ball, and when Don Hutchison's cross met his head, we were not
far away from taking the lead.

Madar was also setting up his team-mates, and Barmby was the recipient of
a superb chance. However, his right-footed shot was sadly struck over the
crossbar.

Barmby's corner met none other than Dave Watson. He normally grabs one or
two goals each season, and this looked like another. Unfortunately, it was
directed away from the goal by a Spurs player.

Spurs looked like they thoroughly deserved their meagre, unsatisfactory position
down at the bottom of the league. So much so that they require a little
assistance from the ref. Chris Armstrong was constantly diving in an attempt
to get Craig Short sent off. However, the referee, who was not as disappointing
as recent officials, saw through the plot each time.

Michael Ball looked excellent once again, and has developed a talent for
keeping the ball in when it looks certain to go out, by chipping it over
his own head. By some miracle, it always seemed to land at the feet of one
of his team-mates.

In the 24th minute, Nick Barmby obtained possession on the half-way line.
He saw Madar begin to run, and directed the ball towards Madar's destination.
The beautiful demonstration of vision was reminiscent of a move of a side
challenging for league honours, and not for survival. Madar beat the offside
trap, and was eventually facing Walker. Madar ignored the goalkeeper's presence,
and coolly directed his shot past Walker's outstretched finger-tips.

Soon after we had taken the lead, Spurs began an attack, a rare event in
the first half. O'Kane challenged Ginola, who flew past him, and ended up
in his usual pose  rolling about in unrealistic "agony". The referee
reached for his cards. That cheat was going to get O'Kane booked  and
bookings eventually lead to suspensions, which we could currently survive
without. O'Kane's crossing abilities are too valuable for us to be without.
Marvellous. But then I realized. The referee was showing the yellow to Ginola!
For the first time in several months, we had a referee who I actually agreed
with!

O'Kane provided another of the afore-mentioned crosses which I adore. It
looped into the box, causing panic amid the Spurs defence. Unfortunately,
Madar was ruled offside, so even if his header had been accurate enough to
find the net, it would not have counted.

Half-time came with an optimistic team leaving the field triumphantly. Several
players applauded the away fans, who deserved every word of praise they were
given.

Madar kept his temper admirably, despite being held and pushed throughout.
He worked hard when he saw need to but had the tendency to "disappear" for
a few minutes. However, he linked up superbly with Barmby and the ailing
Ferguson. One such display came when Ferguson went on a run. Madar, marked
closely by a Spurs defender, was passed to by the Scot. He tapped the ball
back to Duncan, whose shot was appalling. Perhaps Ferguson didn't realize
that he had much more time to take the shot. However, it became obvious that
this was not the Ferguson that had been on fire before his suspension. He
is still a long way from full fitness, and he seemed to lose his usual precision.

Thomas Myhre looked inspirational at the back, and it never seemed as though
Spurs would score. He made Klinsmann look ordinary, and Ginola posed no threat.
After snatching possession away from the Spurs side once again, Myhre threw
the ball out with an amazing amount of power. It bounded towards the half-way
line, and crossed it, where it was picked up by the goal-bound Barmby. He
continued until he reached the penalty area, where he collided with Walker
and another Spurs defender. The ball was spilled by the goalkeeper, and Ferguson
was ironically close to reaching it. I feel that if he had been fully fit
that it would have inevitably been 2-0. However, there is no use in commenting
about what might have happened and what could have been prevented. We must
make the possibilities happen, and we must prevent the concession of goals.

Despite a lot of Spurs pressure during the second half, they never seemed
capable of scoring two goals past Myhre. He constantly averted disaster,
and had another been in goal, then perhaps the result would have been a little
closer to the pundits' predictions of 3-0 or 3-1 to Spurs!

Don Hutchison provided the attack with a few chances, the most memorable
of which went to Ferguson. The shot was easily saved by Walker, but at least
our captain had improved on that garish miss. John O'Kane also looked impressive
on the right side.

Richard Dunne and Gavin McCann coped with the likes of Ginola superbly. Dunne
looks like he has generally improved his overall fitness, which has helped
his pace immensely.

Unfortunately, despite the fact that Spurs were incapable of scoring two
past Myhre did not mean that they could not score one. We had not capitalized
on our chances, and so when Spurs bombarded the defence late on, they were
fighting for a point. The game should have been put beyond them by half-time.
Saib crossed to Vega, who headed across the goal to Armstrong. Despite the
presence of Watson and Myhre, he still scored. Fortunately, I watched Leeds
on Match of the Day, and it was obvious to me that they lack a man at the
far post. We will not concede another like Armstrong's next Saturday (unless,
of course, the lack of a far post man was obvious to the rest of the Leeds
team too).

In the dying embers of the fiery game, O'Kane took a throw-in. McCann set
up Michael Ball, who turned and shot with about five Spurs shirts surrounding
him. Unfortunately, the shot, which seemed destined for the back of the net,
was saved by Walker. This move, which involved two of the youngest on the
pitch, was the last action of the game.

I sincerely hope that we will not look back at this game, considering it
as two points thrown away. There had been no question of an Everton victory
before kick-off  Spurs had 23 fit players. We had the usual casualties
and suspensions. The players deserve so much praise for this one little point.
We fielded such an under-strength team that I hoped we could keep the score
down. Suddenly, at 3.24 p.m. we were faced with the prospect of victory.

This game will not be remembered  we didn't win  but the Blues
played well away from home. We made Spurs look like the relegation side.
Certainly, they should never have clawed back that equalizer. But the Blues
really achieved something. We have proved that it is us with the fighting
spirit, us with the grit and determination. It is us who will survive.

TOO good to go down? You pay your fortune and take your chance. The best
qualities of these two teams would put the title, rather than relegation,
on the agenda, but Tottenham lack the rugged, never-say-die resilience of
Everton who, in turn, can only envy Spurs' resourcefulness on the ball, and
their respective inadequacies leave them dependent on the shortcomings of
others for survival.

Remarkably open for relegation warfare, it was good, gripping stuff, easier
on the eye than it was for the nerves of the partisan. The result was the
one neither side really wanted, but both manager's perked up with the news
of Barnsley's 2-1 defeat at Leeds, and Wimbledon drawing with Bolton spread
the smiles a little wider.

Spurs have won back-to-back matches only once all season, and continued
repetition of this failure to translate a welter of second-half possession
into goals could be ruinous come the final reckoning. For all that, they
have lost only one of their past five games, and a return of five points
from the last three suggests that they are on the mend at the right time.
As for Everton, four of their last six fixtures are at home. It should be
enough.

Tottenham played the better football and dominated the second half, but they
took an eternity to equalise the goal with which Mickael Madar rewarded Everton
for a purple patch, after 24 minutes.

The introduction of Moussa Saib from the bench worked the oracle. The Algerian
was a livewire from the moment he bounced on, his clever pass enabling Chris
Armstrong to supply the late equaliser Spurs' fightback merited. Everton,
inspired by Duncan Ferguson, the captain they call "Braveheart", defended
heroically, but ultimately paid the price for trying to sit on the most
precarious of leads.

Howard Kendall, their manager, said: "I stressed to the players at half-time
that if we tried to hang on at 1-0 we would find ourselves in trouble. All
credit to Tottenham, though. They produced quality from the wide positions
when it mattered." Kendall, however, was encouraged by his team's appetite
for the fray. When they were up against it, they showed a steely determination
which will serve them well come the denouement.

Tottenham's dissatisfaction with the result was compounded by the loss of
their left-back, Clive Wilson, who was taken to hospital with a shoulder
injury that is expected to keep him out for three weeks.

Kendall had seen ominous signs in last week's 4-1 home defeat by Aston Villa
of players "dropping their heads" and "running up the white flag", but there
was none of that. A forthright pre-match reminder of their responsibilities
had them in combative, sleeves-rolled-up mood.

Ferguson, a lion throughout, personified their attitude. After a six-week
absence, he returned still hampered by a troublesome knee, but you would
not have known it. A towering performance, as auxiliary defender as much
as attacking totem, exemplified the character that gets teams out of trouble.

Kendall said: "In terms of setting an example with the captain's armband,
he was tremendous." Scotland's loss, indeed, after his premature international
retirement.

The pre-match talk had been all about David Ginola, recalled after suspension
at the expense of Saib. Nobody had more incentive than Ginola, who was told
at the start of the week that the door to the French team, and the World
Cup, was still ajar. He did not exactly kick it open, his performance the
usual curate's egg; genius and dilettante, wholly neither.

Spurs made the more promising start, Ginola pulling wide from his starting
position, just behind the two strikers, to try his luck on the right, where
Everton had an 18-year-old novice, Richard Dunne, standing in, in the absence
of Slaven Bilic and Carl Tiler, who were suspended. Inexperienced or not,
Dunne acquitted himself with distinction, as did Gavin McCann, a lanky
20-year-old making his debut in midfield.

After an opening 15 minutes in which Tottenham were more creative, Everton
carved out the first real chance, when Ramon Vega, under challenge by Madar,
could only divert the ball to Ferguson, whose tame shot will have disappointed
him, as they say on television. Nicky Barmby, full of running back at his
alma mater, and Dave Watson demanded saves of greater difficulty, and for
Spurs the writing was on the wall.

It said 1-0 when Barmby's nudge through caught the defence hopelessly square
and Madar ran on unattended to score his third goal in as many games. It
needed Stephen Carr's timely intervention to parry another thrust from
"Braveheart", who then rattled Ian Walker with a typically robust shoulder
charge. The home fans fell into an apprehensive silence. Everton were
impressively resilient when the pressure was on, and Short and Dunne dispossessed
Armstrong and Ginola respectively on the edge of the penalty area.

Ginola threatened an equaliser just before half-time, but his right-foot
curler, from 20 yards, was tantalisingly wide.

The second half belonged to Spurs, although Ferguson started it by exchanging
passes with Madar before shooting negligently over, and Barmby rounded Wilson
at pace and cut into the goalmouth, only to be thwarted by Walker's well-timed,
and brave, advance to save at his feet.

Jürgen Klinsmann should have restored parity after 58 minutes, but the
flashing header with which he met Carr's cross flew wastefully wide. Christian
Gross leapt from the bench and held his head in his hands in disbelief. He
was not alone.

Gross sent on Saib in place of Nicola Berti, who had been tamely ineffective,
and the substitute might have created the equaliser at once. His cross from
the right was met with a spectacular bicycle-kick volley by Klinsmann, whose
dexterity deserved a goal. Watson disagreed, of course, and prevented it
with a heroic block.

It was Saib, however, who brought Spurs tangible reward for their second-half
superiority when his pass enabled Vega to supply Armstrong for a routine
header from three yards.

Armstrong was close to producing the winner with seven minutes left, but
a volley every inch as acrobatic as Klinsmann's, executed with back to goal,
flew over. Everton's thin blue line held  just. John Spencer, with
a deflected shot which demanded Walker's leaping intervention, might even
have won it for them at the death, but that would have been hard on Tottenham,
who had the bulk of the possession.

Gross thought they deserved to win, and said they would have done so had
Klinsmann had better luck with his finishing, but then that would have been
tough on Everton. Justice was done.

Massive game, massive crowd, massive clubs. It almost beggared belief that
Tottenham and Everton, once proud members of the big five, were colliding
in this most meaningful of relegation scraps. Three points would have offered
breathing space for the winning side, but a draw means that both will be
gasping a while longer.

The commitment was total and every challenge was made with no holding back
whatsoever. For a game of such immense importance, it was all hands to the
pump. Tottenham welcomed back influential personnel, with Ginola and Nielsen
restored after suspension and illness respectively. And with Armstrong playing
his third game since October, Christian Gross fielded as strong an 11 as
he has managed.

It was some baptism of fire for the Goodison youngsters McCann and Dunne
- the latter had turned out for the youth team in midweek - but the experienced
heads nursed them through. None led more impressively than Everton's captain
and talisman Ferguson, who shrugged off the effects of knee ligament damage
to inspire with every inch of his imposing frame.

The feisty Scot was in one of his defiant, belligerent, menacing moods, and
his towering presence upset Tottenham in both penalty boxes. It was almost
impossible to keep up with him, at one moment he was deep in his area nodding
danger away, the next he was prowling around in attack, a predator in waiting.

The flow of the game swung from desperate end to desperate end and for a
basement battle it was surprisingly and exhilaratingly open. It would have
been understandable if both teams had played for a point, but victory appeared
paramount to both and so they went for all-out attack.

Everton fashioned the clearer chances, partly because the rear-guard protecting
Walker's goal was far more fragile than the massed dogs of war who bit and
nudged and scratched anyone in a white shirt entering Myhre's territory.
But Campbell managed to get ahead of them to send a glancing header the wrong
side of an upright and he banged his fists against his legs in frustration.

When Armstrong, accelerating on to Ginola's deft pass, collapsed in the box
with Short in close attendance, the Everton defender leapt up furiously as
the crowd bayed for a rather hopeful penalty. The vital need for three points
escaped nobody inside an intensely warm White Hart Lane.

Everton drew first blood. After 23 minutes, Barmby, the former Spurs midfielder
who was booed throughout, showed one of the touches which were once cherished
in these parts. The defence was bisected, and Madar was freed. The Frenchman
cantered clear into a private duel with Walker in the Tottenham goal, and
dispatched the coolest of chips round the keeper with admirable swagger.

The other pony-tailed Frenchman on the pitch, Ginola, seemed the most likely
to offer Tottenham a lifeline. Twice he unleashed that speciality low, curling
drive which has been so fruitful this season, but one took a ricochet and
the other inched fractionally wide.

After the interval, Everton might have doubled the lead through Ferguson,
who shot wildly and wastefully, and Barmby, whose advances were smothered
by Walker. A two-goal deficit might have broken Tottenham, but instead they
sensed the opportunity to assert themselves.

They began to force increasing periods of pressure but the end product was
perplexingly elusive. Klinsmann steered a header on to the pole which supports
the goal nets, and half the stadium whooped, fooled as it bounced behind
the goal like some sort of cruel visual trick. Then the German's vicious
volley from Saib's cross was blocked by Watson. Moments after Fox's drive
was deflected. The tide, it seemed, was turning.

With 15 minutes to go, deservedly, it had. Saib chipped a delightful ball
towards Vega, who twisted in mid-air to nudge the ball across the goalmouth
for Armstrong to steer a header past Myhre. Everton's resilience had finally
cracked and the men in white were jubilant.

WHEN clubs are in trouble  even mighty clubs such as Tottenham Hotspur
and Everton  the onus is on every man to do his duty. It is a team
game and yet FA Carling Premiership salvation for these two clubs rests around
two pivotal characters. For Everton, even though they now have four home
games and only two away, it is essential that Duncan Ferguson is on the field
for every moment that his frayed left knee will tolerate. For Tottenham,
it is all about David Ginola; not concerning his fitness, but the ego of
the man.

Christian Gross, the head coach of Tottenham, did not duck the issue after
the fraught draw at White Hart Lane on Saturday. He felt that things had
improved after Moussa Saib, the Algerian, came on as a substitute, releasing
the ball with better vision and less selfishness. "Saib is an excellent player,"
Gross said. "It could be that he will start against Chelsea on Saturday."

Although there are feelings at White Hart Lane that both playmakers cannot
be in the same side, this may not need to be a straight choice. Saib can
orchestrate the central midfield; Ginola can dance to his heart's content
on the wings.

As Jürgen Klinsmann, the forward, had tried to argue, Tottenham needed
to sacrifice a little, to deliver, to boss the ball so that the finishers
could express their art. Of course, Ginola, with all his advertising potential,
wants to be his own man; he can be, but to the betterment of Tottenham. In
a language North London may struggle to comprehend, it is time for Gross
to dictate to his players how they are going to get out of this mess.

And in a language some at Everton barely understand, Ferguson's presence,
and his voice, appear to be essential to his side's survival campaign. Howard
Kendall, the manager, appearing calm after a season of adversity in which
he has used 34 players so far, said: "When I first came back to the club,
I was a little concerned about Duncan. I felt he could work hard for the
team, but giving him the captaincy has given us such a lot. Nobody can hear
what I am saying in the dressing room when Fergie is screaming and shouting.
I like that, I hope we can get him through to May 11 and then get his knee
problem sorted."

Pinning Everton's immediate future on something so tenuous as a damaged medial
ligament can seem extreme. However, on Saturday, Ferguson, who had not seen
action for six weeks through suspension and then the training-ground injury,
was the leader on the field. Four times when the early pressure was on, he
lent his head to a defence well marshalled by Watson, the veteran, and featuring
two very keen, gifted teenagers in Richard Dunn and Michael Ball.

And if Ferguson was here, there, everywhere, imagine the load imposed on
Mikael Madar, the Frenchman left to soldier alone in attack. He has speed,
he has a sixth sense of where to go and, in the 23rd minute, he exploited
a terribly flat Tottenham defence.

Sol Campbell gave the ball away to Nick Barmby, the former Tottenham youngster,
in the centre circle. Barmby sprang Tottenham's woeful attempts to catch
Madar offside; Ramon Vega appealed to the referee, rather than denying Madar
room, and the illusive forward drew Walker, the goalkeeper, and expertly
converted his chance.

Ferguson wasted a second opportunity when, admittedly, he had run into fatigue.
Tottenham, who were to lose both full backs, Stephen Carr and Clive Wilson
(the latter for three weeks after dislocating a shoulder), during the second
half, gained a reprieve in the 74th minute. Saib had already threatened to
create a goal with his first touch as a substitute, but Klinsmann, with an
excellent bicycle-kick, was thwarted by Short. This time, Saib's perceptive
through-ball was met by Vega's back header into the goalmouth, where Armstrong,
using his pace and arguably half a yard offside behind Short, stooped to
head the equaliser from three yards.

Gross said that Klinsmann had not had his best day and he knew it. But relegation
fear, when it seeps into a club so grand that, on Saturday, it opened its
new North Stand, expanding the capacity to 36,000, is a corrosive element.

Tottenham have the talent; we must see whether they have the will. Gross
will watch two reserve games this week before deciding whether Darren Anderton
and Les Ferdinand are ready for a return. "They must be fit, absolutely fit,
because you need fit men for a Premiership battle prepared to fight until
the last seconds," he said.

There was the difference. Everton gambled on Ferguson, who was nothing like
match-fit, and achieved the aim. The team were fuelled by his desire. Tottenham
seem to be waiting for perfection, for wholeness in body and mind of a collection
of players who have not proved either point for too long.

TOTTENHAM, having trailed for 50 minutes, eased growing fears of relegation
by finally breaking down an Everton defence of the utmost obduracy.

Chris Armstrong brought the Londoners level, but they owed a lot to Moussa
Saib, who had been on the field only four minutes, and Ramon Vega. Saib chipped
forward, Vega headed on and Armstrong nodded between Thomas Myhre and the
near post to cause an explosion of relief.

Everton deserved the point for which they probably would have settled before
the match. After Mickael Madar had put them in front, Howard Kendall's team
protected their goal splendidly with the veteran Dave Watson always to the
fore.

Everton had come in search of reassurance after last week's defeat, their
heaviest of the season, at the hands of Aston Villa. These are strange times
for the club. Attendances at Goodison Park lately have been averaging 36,000
 as many as during their championship triumphs of the mid-Eighties
 and yet the fans have looked in vain for a team in keeping.

The reason for the customers' faith and optimism can only be presumed to
lie in Everton's creditable endeavours to rectify a persistent shortcoming:
they are bringing young players through in quantity at last. Michael Ball,
Richard Dunne, Gavin McCann, on his debut, and the talented recruit from
Manchester United, John O'Kane, began this match. But Kendall also needed
his experienced men to stand up and be counted here and hence Duncan Ferguson
was pressed into action despite worries about the knee ligament injury from
which he has been suffering.

Two of Kendall's signings combined to give Everton the lead midway through
the first half, Don Hutchinson putting Madar through for his fifth goal since
joining the club from Deportivo La Coruña. This rewarded their spirited
response to adversity, even though Nicky Barmby in particular was excessively
physical on his first appearance at White Hart Lane in an opposition shirt;
tackles that obliged Vega and Nicola Berti to take evasive action were
hair-raising.

From the Tottenham point of view, there has been pre-match interest in where
David Ginola would play on his return from suspension. Jürgen Klinsmann
irked the manager, Christian Gross, by going public with his opinion that
the Frenchman should operate on a flank, in other words serve Klinsmann with
crosses rather than weave his magical patterns immediately behind the front
men.

As at Crystal Palace last weekend, where Spurs' victory was quite impressive
even allowing for the poor quality of the opposition, the newcomer, Saib,
occupied the left flank and was outstanding. It was the Algerian, however,
who made way for Allan Nielsen, back in the side after 'flu, and Ginola took
the role of Gross's choice.

The least nervous-looking player in a windy stadium, he roamed, inviting
fouls in his usual manner, and soon made an opening for Armstrong, who fell
in the penalty area under challenge from Craig Short without convincing the
referee. Ginola then had a shot deflected wide before being clattered in
the air by Barmby, who was cautioned.

It was a mistake by Sol Campbell that gifted Everton the lead. The England
centre-back mis-hit a pass, which Hutchinson collected and sent Madar through
to clip impressively over Ian Walker into the net.

The rest of the first half saw Spurs in territorial control but without causing
serious damage, while the second period see-sawed until Armstrong finally
headed the equaliser.